2017-18 GOJHL Season
This is the '2017-18 Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League season. '''This was the league's 68th season overall dating back to the Eastern Junior B Hockey League, Metro Junior A Hockey League, and the Western Junior B Hockey League in 1950. The league has used the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League name since 2007 when 3 leagues (Mid-Western Junior Hockey League, Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League and Western Ontario Hockey League) merged to form the present league. Membership Changes * During the final round of the Sutherland Cup playoffs the Cambridge Winter Hawks announced they were severing their ties with the Ontario Hockey Association, possibly in response to the OHA denying the league's application to be elevated to the Junior A level. This would be a de-facto withdrawal from the league as membership in the OHA is required to be a member in an OHA sanctioned league. * The Buffalo Regals relocated to the Buffalo State Sports Arena on the campus of Buffalo State College. * In May 2017 it was announced that the Lambton Shores Predators were planning on moving out of Forest to move to Komoka, Ontario for the 2017-18 season The move had already been approved by the league and the OHA. The final approval of Middlesex Centre Wellness and Recreation Complex which met June 21st was the final step in the move. Two junior C level teams (Mount Brydges Bulldogs and Lambeth Lancers) were also reportedly interested in moving to Komoka. The team was re-branded as the Komoka Kings. * On April 18, 2018 it was announced on the league website that the Ancaster Avalanche would be relocating to the Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena in Hamilton, Ontario and would be renamed the Hamilton Kilty B's after the former Hamilton Kilty B's who were renamed the Hamilton Red Wings in 2002 and in 2015 moved to Markham, Ontario and became the Markham Royals. * On May 8, 2018 the Ontario Hockey Association approves the relocation of the Guelph Hurricanes to Cambridge, Ontario. The team will play out of the Galt Arena Gardens for the 2018-19 season. The team was originally known as the Hesper Shamrocks and later Cambridge Shamrocks when they were established back around 1960. The team played in Cambridge until 1982 when they moved to Guelph. It was announced May 11th that the team will be renamed the Cambridge Redhawks. They will replace the Cambridge Winter Hawks who withdrew from the Ontario Hockey Association and by default the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League after the 2016-17 season. * The Caledonia Corvairs requested a one-year leave of absence for the 2018-19 season after completion of the 2017-18 season. * On June 17, 2018 it was announced the Milton Icehawks franchise of the Ontario Junior Hockey League would be moving to Brantford and would take the 99ers name. The future of the present GOJHL team has not been decided but they are planning on staying put for the 2018-19 season pending a meeting with Ontario Hockey Federation officials. Both teams have the same owner. * After the 2017-18 season, the Buffalo Regals would relocate to the Cornerstone Ice Arena in Lockport, New York and would be renamed the Lockport Regals for the 2018-19 season. Teams Standings Golden Horseshoe Conference Midwestern Conference Western Conference Sutherland Cup Playoffs Format Each conference will hold its own playoffs with 8 teams qualifying for each conference. The three conference champions and the conference runner-up with the best '"playoff record to date" '''qualify for the Sutherland Cup semifinals. The wildcard play the team with the better record of the two they didn't play in the conference final. All playoff series are best-of-seven. The Sutherland Cup champion does not advance any further as there is no Eastern Canada championship at the Junior B level. Golden Horseshoe Conference Quarterfinals *Caledonia Corvairs defeated Fort Erie Meteors 4 games to none * St. Catharines Falcons defeated Pelham Panthers 4 games to none *Ancaster Avalanche defeated Welland Jr. Canadians 4 games to none *Niagara Falls Canucks defeated Thorold Blackhawks 4 games to none Midwestern Conference Quarterfinals *Listowel Cyclones defeated Guelph Hurricanes 4 games to none *Stratford Warriors defeated Brantford 99ers 4 games to none *Elmira Sugar Kings defeated Brampton Bombers 4 games to none *Waterloo Siskins defeated Kitchener Dutchmen 4 games to 3 Western Conference Quarterfinals *London Nationals defeated Strathroy Rockets 4 games to none *Leamington Flyers defeated Komoka Kings 4 games to none *Chatham Maroons defeated LaSalle Vipers 4 games to 3 *St. Thomas Stars defeated Sarnia Legionaires 4 games to 1 Golden Horseshoe Conference Semifinals *Caledonia Corvairs defeated Niagara Falls Canucks 4 games to 1 *St. Catharines Falcons defeated Ancaster Avalanche 4 games to 3 Midwestern Conference Semifinals *Listowel Cyclones defeated Waterloo Siskins 4 games to 3 *Elmira Sugar Kings defeated Stratford Warriors 4 games to 2 Western Conference Semifinals *London Nationals defeated Chatham Maroons 4 games to 2 *St. Thomas Stars defeated Leamington Flyers 4 games to 3 Golden Horseshoe Conference Final *Caledonia Corvairs defeated St. Catharines Falcons 4 games to none Midwestern Conference Final *Listowel Cyclones defeated Elmira Sugar Kings 4 games to none Western Conference Final *London Nationals defeated St. Thomas Stars 4 games to none Sutherland Cup Semifinals The conference final loser with the best playoff record to date (Elmira) advances with an 8-6 record as St. Catharines (8-7) and St. Thomas (8-8) had worse records. Caledonia is seeded 1, London is seeded 2, Listowel is seeded 3, and Elmira is seeded 4. *Caledonia Corvairs defeated Elmira Sugar Kings 4 games to none *Listowel Cyclones defeated London Nationals 4 games to 2 Sutherland Cup Final *Listowel Cyclones defeated Caledonia Corvairs 4 games to none Category:2018 in hockey Category:Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League